ORUNMILA. His real name is ELA. Father of wisdom. Witness to creation. When OLODUMARE created the universe ,orumila was the only Orisa allowed to witness all of creation. Orunmila is the father of divination, our only guide through life. Orunmila is IFA. Those who posses the wisdom of IFA and have been consecrated are known as BABALAWO. A Babalawo in western terms would be compaired to a priest or a reverend. ONLY Babalawos posses the power of divination through IFA. Sure well educated Babalosas or iyalosas can divine with merindilogun awo or sixteen shells. That method of divining is not nearly as precise as IFA

ORUNMILA. Agboniregun, Eleriipin. It is the common belief in this country and in the Islands that when a person is consecrated in IFA he automatically is a BABALAWO. To me that is an insult to what our forefathers going as far back as to ORUMILA were trying to instill in humanity. There are many years of training and apprenticeship involved in achieving the status of diviner.

Orunmila is known also as ELERI IPIN,(the witness of fate) AGBONIREGUN, ELA. the name orunmila in some parts is believed to derive from a story where OLORUN( another name for olodumare) after a long battle recognizes his brother Ela. Orunmila is second only to god, except for Esu he is the most important of our divinities. Ifa's ASE derives from the Odu OSE OTURA and Esu is born in the Odu OWONRIN OGBE. Esu Elegbara goes hand in hand with Orunmila for Orunmila will provide us with the answers and it is only Esu that can manipulate whatever force necessary in order to align our lives with our destiny. A Babalawo needs to align himself with ELA, meaning he should lead a life of prayer,sacrifice and IWA PELE. IWA PELE (good or perfect character). A Babalawo leads a life of servitude not only to IFA but to humankind.

Ifa temple of Ile Ife. The araba exits amongst awos and Iyawos.

A Babalawo is the highest rank in this belief, he's the representation of Ifa on earth. The Yoruba religion and the Yoruba nation are both governed by a Monarchy, Beguining With the OONI of Ile Ife. Who is considered to be the Ruler of the people. The Ooni is alsoserved by the AWO OONI. The Awo ooni (secrets of the ooni) are a special institution who is restricted to the Ooni and the kingdom of Ife. The Awo ooni rank above any and all Babalawo also they are ranked as follows.1. ARABA 9.OBAKIN2.AGBONBON 10.OLORI IHAREFA3.AGESINYOWA 11.LODAGBA4.ASEDA 12.JOLOFIPE5.AKODA 13.MEGBON6.AMOSUN 14.TEDIMOLE7.AFEDIGBA 15.ERINMI8.ADIFOLU 16.ELESI